Although quite popular on alternative rock radio in the United States due to heavy airplay of the singles "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man", they were never widely popular there, but found success in Europe, especially in the UK (where they managed three top 40 singles "Velouria", "Planet of Sound" and a re-release of "Debaser") and Belgium and the Netherlands, where they were heavily broadcasted by alternative public radio.
The band's style of alternative rock music is heavily influenced by punk and surf rock, and while highly melodic, is capable of being tremendously abrasive at the same time. Francis is the Pixies' primary songwriter and singer and has a distinctly desperate, yowling delivery. He has typically written cryptic songs about offbeat subjects, such as UFOs and surrealism. References to mental instability, violent Biblical imagery, and physical injury feature in many of the band's songs.
The group is frequently posited as the immediate forebear of the alternative rock boom of the 1990s, though they disbanded before reaping any of the benefits this might have brought them. Avowed fan Kurt Cobain's acknowledgement of the debt Nirvana owed to the Pixies, along with similar tributes by other alternative bands, ensured that the Pixies' legacy and influence grew substantially in the years following their demise.
In 1993, during an interview with BBC Radio 5, Black Francis announced that the band had split - something he had not told his bandmates. After the interview, he called Santiago, who in turn faxed Deal and Lovering the news the next morning. After the split, Black Francis inverted his stage name to Frank Black and embarked on a successful solo career, while Deal resumed her role in The Breeders with her identical twin sister Kelley. In 2004, the band reunited for a tour - documented in the film loudQUIETloud - and released a new single, "Bam Thwok" that summer. In 2007, Black Francis (now going by that name again) stated in an interview that the reunion was "done" even though the members remain in good terms with each other. In later interviews however, he began to mention that he might be willing to record another Pixies album. Nonetheless, Francis has returned to his solo career and Deal to the Breeders, both of which released albums and toured in 2008. Lovering and Santiago, meanwhile, set up their own project, a band called Everybody.
In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Doolittle, Pixies launched a tour in October 2009, on which they perform all the album's songs and B-sides. In the autumn of 2011 the "Lost Cities" tour continued the "Doolittle Tour" as they played many venues for the first time.
Mr. Grieves
Pixies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hope everything is alright
What's that floatin' in the water?
Oh, Neptune's only daughter
I believe
In Mr. Grieves
One that talks like Doolittle
I believe
In Mr. Grieves
Do you have another opinion? Yup
Do you have another opinion?
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la, la la la la
Got bombed, got frozen
Got finally off to finally dozin'
I believe
In Mr. Grieves
Do you have another opinion? Yup! Opinion
Do you have another opinion?
Do you have another opinion?
You can cry, you can mope
But, can you swing from a good rope?
Oh, I believe
In Mr. Grieves
Hope everything is alright
Hope everything is alright
The lyrics to Pixies' Mr. Grieves seem cryptic upon first listen, but upon further examination, the song seems to be drenched in religious imagery and allusions. The song opens with a repetition of "Hope everything is alright," as if the singer is desperately clinging to faith that everything will be okay. The line "What's that floatin' in the water? / Oh, Neptune's only daughter" refers to the Greek god of the sea's daughter, seemingly lost at sea. This image could be an allusion to the singer's own feeling of being lost or abandoned.
The song continues with the singer proclaiming, "I believe in Mr. Grieves," as if Mr. Grieves is a higher power that can provide comfort and salvation. The line "one that talks like Doolittle" seems to be an allusion to the character of Dr. Doolittle, who can speak to animals, perhaps suggesting Mr. Grieves has the ability to communicate with all creatures great and small.
The lines "Got bombed, got frozen / Got finally off to finally dozin'" are a stark contrast to the rest of the song's religious overtones. It could be interpreted as the singer grappling with the reality of life and death, despite their faith in Mr. Grieves.
Overall, Mr. Grieves is a song that seems to be at odds with itself thematically. Its allusions to religion and higher powers seem to clash with its frank discussion of death and decay.
Line by Line Meaning
Hope everything is alright
The singer expresses their hope that all is well.
What's that floatin' in the water?
The singer is questioning the identity of an object floating in water.
Oh, Neptune's only daughter
The object in the water is identified as Neptune's daughter.
I believe
In Mr. Grieves
Pray for a man in the middle
One that talks like Doolittle
The singer has faith in the existence of someone named Mr. Grieves and wishes for a man who speaks like Doolittle to intervene.
Do you have another opinion? Yup
The singer asks if there is a different perspective and confirms there is.
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la, la la la la
Got bombed, got frozen
Got finally off to finally dozin'
The singer is nonchalantly referencing being bombed, frozen, and finally dozing off.
I believe
In Mr. Grieves
Do you have another opinion? Yup! Opinion
Do you have another opinion?
Do you have another opinion?
Reiterating faith in Mr. Grieves and inviting alternate opinions.
You can cry, you can mope
But, can you swing from a good rope?
Oh, I believe
In Mr. Grieves
The singer rhetorically questions the listeners' capabilities while maintaining faith in Mr. Grieves.
Hope everything is alright
Hope everything is alright
The song ends on the same hopeful note it began with.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike D
on Nimrod's Son
It’s “shock the people” not chocolate people